are certaine men and women chosen by a Turkish Captaine who must swimme a whole league out-right in the sea and goe downe to the bottome of the waters to fetch thence some token they haue got ground And if they shall happen to faile in this the Iland will bee reduced againe to pay him yearely rent This I saw with mine eyes whiles we being calmed there came a man and two women swimming to vs more then a mile of way carrying with them dry aboue the water baskets of fruit to sell the which made me not a little to wonder Contenting them for their ware vpon the ninth day after our departure from Smyrna wee arriued at the Citie of Rhodes so called of the Iland wherein it standeth Rhodes lieth the Carpathian sea It was of old called Ithrea Telchino and Phiula Plinie saith it was called Rhodes because there were certaine fieldes of roses in it for Rhodes in the Greeke tongue signifieth a floure Not farre from the Citie I saw the reliques of that huge and admiredly-erected Idell named Colossus from the which Saint Paul tearmed the inhabitants Colossians It was builded by the worthy Canete Lindo others haue said of Callasses the disciple of Lisippus taking the name Colossus of him and it was thought worthy to bee one of the seuen earthly wonders and so it might iustly haue béene The quantitie whereof as yet may amaze the minde of the beholder This I le belonged once to the Knights of Malta and were then surnamed Knights of the Rhodes but they came first out of Acre in the Holy Land who were called Knights of Saint Iohn The Citie hath two strong Fortresses in one of which these Knights who were about fiue hundred onely and fiue thousand Rhodians who assisted them were besieged with an Army of two hundred thousand Turkes and three hundred Gallies for the space of sixe moneths The chiefe obstacle and impeaching of so great an Army from taking it was onely the resolute valour of the defendants But in the end the Caualieri di Rhodo wanting furniture to their munition and being penurious of victuals were constrained to render vpon the conditionall safety of their liues goods and transportation and remained a long time without any habitation till the King of Spaine gaue thē the barren I le of Malta to inhabite This I le of Rhodes was lost by the Maltazes Anno Dom. 1522. and euer since is in the fruition of Turks The Fortresse of Rhodes and that Fortresse of Famagosta in Cyprus are the two strongest holds in all the Empire of the great Turke After I had contented the Master for my fraught and victuals who as he was an Infidell vsed me with an extraordinary exaction I found a Barke of the Arches purposed to Cyprus with the which I embarked being 400. miles distant Hauing past the gulfe of Sattelia we boorded close along the firme land of fruitfull Pamphilia and on the fifth day thereafter wee fetched vp the coast of Cilicia sustaining many great dangers both of tempestuous stormes and inuasions of damnable Pirates Twelue dayes was I betwéene Rhodes and Limisso in Cyprus where arriued I receiued more gracious demonstrations from the Ilanders then I could hope for or wish being farre beyond my merit or expectation onely contenting my curiosity with a quiet minde I redounded thankes for my embraced curtesies The second day after my arriuall I tooke with me an Interpreter and went to sée Nicosia which is placed in the midst of the kingdome But in my iourney thither extreame was heate and thirst I endured both in respect of the season and also want of water And although I had with me sufficiency of wine yet durst I drinke none thereof being so strong and withall hath a taste of pitch and that is because they haue no barrels but great Iarres made of earth wherein their wine is put Nicosia is the principall Citie of Cyprus is inuironed with mountaines like vnto Florence in Aetruria wherein the Uizier Bashaw remaineth The second is Famagosta the chiefe strength and sea-port in it Selina Lemisso Paphos and Fontana Morosa are the other foure speciall Townes in the Iland This I le of Cyprus was of old called Achametide Amatusa and by some Machara It is of length 210 and large 60. and of circuit 600 miles In this I le was Venus greatly honored It yéeldeth infinite Canes of Sugar strong Wines and Cotten-wooll besides all other sorts of fruit in abundance The Dukes of Sauoy were once kings of Cyprus but the inhabitants vsurping authority elected kings to themselues of their owne generation so it continued till the last king of Cyprus marrying the daughter of a Venetian died without children the Venetians taking the opportunity of time brought home his wife to Venice and sent Gouernors there to beare the sway in their behalfe It was vnder their iurisdiction 120 yeares more till that the Turks who euer oppose themselues against Christians finding a fit occasion in the time of peace and without suspition in the Venetians tooke it in with a great Armado in the yeare 1570. and so till this day by them is detained Oh great pitty that the vsurpers of Gods word and the worlds great enemy should maintaine without feare that famous kingdome being but 1500 Turkes in all who are the keepers of it vnspeakeable is the calamity of that poore afflicted Christian people vnder the terrour of these Infidels who would if they had Armes or assistance of any Christian Potentate easily subuert and abolish the Turks without any disturbance yea and would render the whole Signiory thereof to such a noble Actor I doe not see in that small iudgement which by experience I haue got but the redemption of that Countrey were most facile if that the generous heart of any Christian Prince would be moued with condigne compassion to relieue the miserable afflicted inhabitants In which worke he should reape questionlesse not onely an infinite treasure of worldly commodities that followeth vpon so great a Conquest but also a heauenly and eternall reward of immortall glory The which deliuerance the Duke of Florence thought to haue accomplished hauing purchased the good will of the Ilanders with fiue Gallounes and fiue thousand Souldiers who being mindfull to take first in the Fortresse of Famagosta directed so their course that in the night they should haue entred the Hauen dis-barke their men and scale the walles But in this plot they were farre disappointed by an vnhappy Pilot of the Uice-Admirall who mistaking the Port went into a wrong Bay which the Florentines considering resolued to returne and kéepe the sea till the second night but by a dead calme they were frustrated of their aimes and on the morrow discouered by the Castle whereupon the Turkes went presently to Armes and charged the Inhabitants to come defend that place But about foure hundred Greekes in the West part at Paphos rebelled thinking that
that the nature of a multitude bred all times confused effects without some seuere punishment Himselfe rod still in the vangard vpon a lusty Gelding with two Ianisaries and fortie Souldiers and the other foure Ianisaries and threscore Souldiers were appointed to be the backe-guard for feare of suddaine assaults Thus most dexterously discharged he the function of his calling not with insolency but with prudency and magnanimious virilitie for my part I must néeds say the diligent care of that benigne Carauan extended ouer mee was such that whensoeuer I remember it I am not able to sacrifice congratulations sufficiently to his well-deseruing minde yet in the meane while my purse bountifully rewarded his earnest endeuours and notwithstanding of this high-conceiued regard yet in some friuolous things and for a small trifle he priuately wronged me which I mis-knew as vnwilling knowing his disposition and that my life hung in in his hands to be too forward to séeke a redresse Thus it was at the paying of my tributes by the way for my head hee caused mee oft to pay more then reason to the Moores Turkes and ciuill Arabs receiuing secretly backe from them the ouer-plus which my Turkish seruant perceiuing made my Trouchman tell me that I might be foreseene therein But such is the couetous nature of Man that with his couenant he cannot be contented vnlesse he séeke otherwise by all vnlawfull meanes to purchase himselfe an vniust gaine but the high respect I had of his other perfections made mee ouer-sée and winke at that imperfection of auaritiousnesse in him and especially remembring my selfe to be vnder his protection I alwayes indeuoured my selfe so that in his sight I wonne extraordinary fauour insomuch that in danger or security he would euer haue mee néere by him which I also craued and stroue to obserue the poynts of his will and my owne safety The Obligation of my bounden duty taught me to no other end then euer to respect the beneuolence of his affection and to suppresse my owne weak iudgment which could neuer mount to the true acquittance of his condigne merit But to procéed in my Pilgrimage on the aforesaid third day in the after-noone wee entred into Galile passing along a faire bridge that is ouer the riuer Iordan which diuideth Syria from Galile This bridge by the Armenians is called Iacobs bridge and not farre hence they shewed me the place where Iacob wrestled with the Angell and where Esau met his brother Iacob to haue killed him Iordan is scarcely knowne by the name in this place but afterward I saw his greater growth ending in Sodome whereof in the owne place I shall more amply discourse Betwéene Iacobs bridge and Ierusalem we had sixe dayes iourney Aprill the seuenth day according to the computation of the Roman Kalender and by ours March the 28 I entred in Galile a Prouince of Canaan that sometimes flowed with Milke and Honey It is commonly called Terra sancta but by the Scriptures the Land of Promise Canaan is diuided into fiue Prouinces viz. Iudea Galile Palestina Samaria and Phoenicia Some diuide it onely into thrée Palestina Iudea and Galile It hath béene by others also nominated ingenerall Syria by which calculation they gathered all the Countries from Cilicia to Aegypt vnder that name By later Writers the holy-Holy-Land hath also béene tearmed Palestina But howsoeuer they differ in descriptions it is most certaine that at this day it is onely and vsually diuided into these fiue particular Prouinces Galile and Palestina for the present are the most fertile and largest Prouinces thereof After we had trauelled a great way along the lake of Genesareth which is of length 8 leagues and large 4. where I saw the decaied Townes of Bethsaida and Tiberias lying on the North side of the same Sea we left the Marine and came to Cana to stay all night in which we had no Caues to saue vs from the Arabs nor couerture aboue our heads but the hard ground to lie on which was alwayes my bed in the most part of Asia In the night when wee slept the Souldiers kept centenall and in the day when we reposed they slept and we watched This Cana was the Towne wherein our Sauiour wrought the first Miracle conuerting at the Marriage Water into Wine The day following embracing our way we passed ouer a little pleasant mountaine where the Armenian Patriarke for so was there one with them went into an old Chappell and all the rest of the Pilgrimes thronged about him vsing many strange Ceremonies for it was in that place as it is sayd That Christ fed fiue thousand people with fiue Barley loaues and two fishes Continuing our iourney we saw Mount Tabor on our left hand which is a pretty round Mountaine beset about with comely trées I would gladly haue séene the monument of that place where the trans-siguration of Christ was but the Carauan mindfull to visit Nazareth left the great way of Ierusalem and would by no perswasion go thither That night we lodged in a poore village called Heerschek where we could get neither meat for our selues nor prouender for the beasts but some of our company had for their suppers a hundred strokes from the Moores and Arabs in that place because the Christian Pilgrimes had troden vpon the graues of their dead friends which by no meanes they can tolerate They made no small vp-rore amongst vs desperately throwing stones and darts till we were all glad to remoue halfe a mile from that place Aprill the tenth day about ten of the clocke passing the riuer Kyson we arriued at Nazareth and there reposed till the euening prouiding our selues of victuals and water In this Towne dwelt Ioseph and the virgin Mary and in which also our Sauiour was brought vp After we had dined the Armenians arose and went to a heape of stones the ruines of an old house before the which they fell downe vpon their knées praising God and that ruinons lumpe say they was the house where Mary dwelt when Gabriel saluted her bringing the Annuntiation of saluation to the world I am fully perswaded they carried away aboue fiue thousand pound weight to kéepe in a memoriall thereof Then did I remember mee of the Chappell of Loretta and told the Carauan that I saw that house standing in Italy which as the Romanists say was transported by the Angels O sayd he we Armenians cannot beléeue that neither many other assertions of the Roman Church for we certainly know by Christians that haue from time to time dwelt here euer since that this is both the place and stones of the house Let Papists coyne a new law to themselues we care not for as they erre in this so do they in all following meerly the traditions of men they run gallopping post to hell The Patriarke being informed by the laughing Carauan of these newes asking me in disdaine thinking it had béene an Article of my beliefe if I saw the house or beléeued
is celebrated in these verses Extollit Paduam iuris studium medicinae Verona humanae dat singula commoda vitae Exhaurit loculos Ferrarea ferrea plenos I commend the deuotion of Venice and Genua beyond all the other Cities in Italy For the Venetians haue banished the Iesuites out of their Territories and Ilands And the Genueses haue abandoned the society of Iewes and exposed them from their iurisdiction The Iewes and the Iesuites are brethren in blasphemies for the Iewes are naturally subtill hatefull auaritious and aboue all the greatest calumniators of Christs name And the ambitious Iesuites are Flatterers Bloudy-gospellers treasonable Tale-tellers and the onely railers vpon the sincere life of good Christians Wherefore I end with this verdict the Iew and the Iesuite is a Pultrone and a Parasite A Description of the Adriaticall and Ionean Ilands how they haue beene first named and now gouerned of Istria Dalmatia Slauonia Epire Peloponnesus and Athens of a Monster borne in Lesina and what dangers befell him in his voyage to Creta AFter 24 dayes attendance and expecting for passage I imbarked in a Carmoesalo being bound to Zara Noua in Dalmatia Scarcely had we lost the sight of Venice but wee incountred with a deadly storme at Seroco è Leuante The maister had no compasse to direct his course neither was hee expert in Nauigation because they vse commonly either on the South or North sides of the Gulfe to hoyse vp sailes at night and against breake of day they haue full sight of land taking their directions from the topped hilles of the maine continent The tempest increasing and the windes contrary wee were constrained to seeke vp for the Port of Parenzo in Istria Istria was first called Giapidia according to Pliny Cato affirmeth that it was Istria of one Isiro but by the moderne writers l'ultima regione di Italia By Ptolomeus it is said to be of length 120 miles and 40 large That part which bordereth with the sea belongeth to the Venetians but the rest within land holdes of the Emperour and the Archduke of Austria The countrey it selfe aboundeth in Cornes Wines and all manner of fruits necessary for humane life Néere to this hauen wherein we lay expecting roome windes I saw the ruines of old Iustinopoli so called of Iustinian the Emperour who builded it vpon an Iland of a miles length three acres broad And to passe betwixt the Citie and the firme land there were seuen bridges made It was anciently strong but now altogether decayed The principall Cities in Istria at this day are these Parenzo Humago Pola Rouigno The winds fauouring vs we weighed anchors and sailed by the Iles Brioni so much estéemed for the fine stones they produce called Istriennes which serue to beautifie the Uenetian Palaces About mid-day I saw Mount di Caldaro on the foot of which the ancient Citie of Pola is situated hauing a harbour wherein small shippes may lie True it is this Port is not much frequented in respect of a contagious Lake neere to it which infecteth the aire with a filthy exhalation I saw hard by this place the ruines of the Castell Di Oriando the Arke triumphant and the reliques of a great Amphitheater This Pola was called by Pliny Iulia pietas and it standeth on the South-east part of Istria Continuing our course wee passed the perilous gulfe of Carnaro and sailed close by the I le Sangego called formerly Illirides This I le is of circuit foure score and of length thirty miles Our fresh water waxing scant and the windes falling out contrary to our expectation we sought in to Valdogosta in the I le of Osero which is a safe hauen for ships and Gallies This Osero was first named Asphorus and then Absirtites of a captaine Absertus who came from Colchos accompanied with many people to bring backe Medeas to his father Acetus Whose purpose being frustrated staied still and inhabited this land as witnesseth Apollonius Rhodius A fit opportunity obtained vpon the eight day we arriued in the roade of Zara in Dalmatia for there the Carmoesalo stayed and I was exposed to séeke passage for Ragusa By the way I recall the great kindnesse of that Dalmatian Master for offering my condition I found him more then courteous and would haue no more but the halfe of that which was his bargaine at Venice Besides this hee also entertained mee three dayes with a most bountifull and kinde acceptance My solitary trauelling he oft bewailed wishing me to desist and neuer attempt such a voyage but I giuing him absolute and constant answeres appeased his imagined sorrow The affable dealing of this stranger made me remember the kindnesse of my aforesaid Countrey-man M. Arthur whose externall shew for that time wee trauelled sociably together gaue me the déepe measure of his internall affection for as man oweth no lesse to his natiue Countrey then what his breath and bloud are worth so I for many weighty considerations and especially for that high respect indeuoured my selfe to the vtmost of my power to attempt this fastidious wandring whereby I might manifest to my natiues that zeale I bore in vndertaking such dangers as it were for that neuer-conquered kingdomes sake leauing him to bee the last witnesse of that innated duety which I did owe vnto my deerest Nation whether I returned or died in my atchieuements I also recall our discontented parting at Venice ingendred diuers languishing conceits which I stroue to mitigate by odde deuised merriments yet notwithstanding could not well expell his melancholy for often at our encontrings before into Italy and France I haue heard him sigh in a most melancholious humour which as I did coniecture was for some loue-sicke passion or some such like male-contentment that had enforced him in pilgrimage two times to crosse the snowy Alpes Zara is the Capitall Citie of Dalmatia called of old Iadara The inhabitants are gouerned by a Camarlingo in the behalfe of Venice the walles whereof are strongly rampired with earth surpassing the toppes of the stone-worke and fortified also with high Bulwarkes and planted Canons on eleuated rampires of earth which are aboue forty cubits higher then the walles and bulwars standing in the foure seuerall corners of the Citie There lie continually in it a great garrison of Soldiers to defend the Towne and Citizens who are maintained by the Duke of Venice for he is Seignior thereof They haue endured many inuasions of the Turkes especially in the yeare 1570 when for the space of fouretéene Moneths they were daily molested and besieged but the victory fell euer to the Christians If the Turkes could winne this place they might easily command the Adriaticall Seas in regard of that faire hauen which is there to receiue Shippes and Gallies which maketh the Venetians not a little fearefull Yet they licentiate the neighbouring Infidels to traffique with them but when they enter the gates they must deliuer their Weapons to the Corporall of the squadron company
and others also of the same kind vpon Nylus in Egypt The growth whereof is strauge for euery yeare in September it is cut downe hard by the roote and in fiue moneths the Tree buddeth vp a pace againe bringing forth leaues floures and fruit The leafe thereof is of such a bredth that thrée men may easily stand vnder the shadow of it and the Apple is bigger then a footeball The third place by the Chelfaines is thought to be in the East part of Mesopotamia neere to the ioyning of Tygris and Euphrates where so they inhabite I haue oft required of these Chelfaines what reason they had for this conceiued opinion who answered me they receiued it from time to time by the Tradition of their Ancestors And because of the riuer Euphrates and others riuers mentioned in the Scriptures which to this day detaine their names in that Country Some hold that Garden of Eden extended ouer all the earth But contrarywise it manifestly appeareth by the second chapter of Genesis verse twenty that this Garden which wee call Paradise wherein Adam was put to dresse it was a certaine place on earth containing a particular portion of a Country called Eden which boundeth on the riuer Euphrates To this and all the rest I answere no certainety can bee had of the place where Eden was either by reading or trauelling because this riuer hath beene oft diuided in sundry streames And it is said that Cyrus when hee wonne Babylon did turne the maine channell of Euphrates to another course But howsoeuer or wheresoeuer it be I resolue my selfe no man can demonstrate the place which God for the sinnes and fall of man did not onely accurse but also the whole face of the earth Many ancient Authors haue agreed with the opinion of Plato and Aristotle constantly affirming that Mountaines Ilands and Countries haue receiued great alteration by the inundation of riuers and violence of raging seas Thracia hath béene diuided from Bithinia Nigroponti from Thessalia Corfu from Epire Sicilia from Italy The Iles Orcades from Scotland and many other Ilands and Countries cut through so in diuisions after the same forme Wherefore the more a man contemplates to search the knowledge of Eden and such high mysteries appertaining onely to the Creator the more he shall faile in his purpose offend God and bee esteemed fantasticall for his paines But to be briefe after my returne to Tripoly I departed thence Eastward with a Carauan of Turkes to Aleppo being ten daies iourney distant In all this way leauing Scanderon and Antiochia on our left hand I saw nothing worthy remarking saue onely a few scattered Uillages and poore miserable people liuing in Tents and following their Flockes to whom I payed sundry Caffars who remoue their women children and cattell where so they find Fountaines and good pastorage like vnto the custome of the ancient Israelites which in their vagabonding fashion did plainly demonstrate the necessity they had to liue rather then any pleasure they had in their liuing The recitation of their ridiculous ceremonies and deuillish religion by them vsed to auoid tediousnesse I omit Before my arriuall in Aleppo the Carauan of Babylon was from thence departed which bred no small griefe in my breast the Venetian Consull to whom I was highly recommended by the aforesaid Merchants hauing had some insight of my intended voyage informed me that the Carauan stayed at Beershak on Euphrates for some conceiued report they had of Arabs that lay for them in the Desarts and willed me to hire a Ianisary and three souldiers to ouer-hie them whose counsell I receiued but was méerely frustrated of my designes True it was they stayed but were gone three daies before my comming to that vnhappy place These my periured consorts perceiuing there was no ability to follow the Carauan any further informed me another company would arriue there shortly But to what end did they this Onely that by long attendance they might sucke the money from my purse which indeed was extraordinary chargeable The abuses of these damnable Hel-hounds my Protectors the dangers I sustained in that barbarous Uillage and in my constrained returne to Aleppo to expresse I will not but rather sepulchrize it in the pit of obliuion least the remembrance of former miseries shold be a renuing of fresh sorrowes knowing that I indured more trouble in that lost time then in all my succeeding trauailes To bee a recompence to this my former losse I determined God willing not onely to visite Babylon which I so neerely lost but also all the most famous kingdomes that border with the Indian Persian and Caspian seas This Beershak is in Mesopotamia and thought to haue beene Padan-Aram where Laban dwelt It standeth néere to the ioyning of Tygris and swift running Euphrates and not far hence is the demolished Citie of Niniuy on Tygris whose very ruines are now come to ruine the decaies whereof is semblable to that sacked Lacedemon in Sparta Mesopotamia is seldome watered with raine but by the nature of the soile is maruellous fruitfull It is boorded with Caldea on the East Euphrates on the South Syria on the Norch and Arabia Petrea on the West This Aleppo is a Citie in Siria the name of which hath béene so oft changed by Turkes that the true Antiquity of it can hardly be knowne It is both large and populous and furnished with all sorts of Marchandize especially of Indigo and spices that is brought ouer land from Go and other places in India which draweth a concurrance of all Nations to it In my expectation heere being disappointed of my desired aimes I pretended to visite Ierusalem in my backe-comming and for the furtherance of my determination I ioyned with a Carauan of Armenians and Turkes that were well guarded with Ianisaries and Souldiers of whom some were to stay at Damascus by the way and some mindfull to the furthest marke And for my better safeguard being alwaies alone which by all was euer much admired the Uize Consull tooke surety of the Captaine that hee should protect mee safely from théeues cut-throates and the exactions of tributes by the way deliuering mee fréely into the hands of the Padre Guardiano at Ierusalem which being done I hired two Mulets from a Turk one to ride vpon and another to carry my victuals and so set forward with them The number of our company were about 900 Armenians Christian pilgrimes men and women 600 Turkes trafficking for their owne businesse and 100 Souldiers thrée Schowsses and sixe Ianisaries to keep them from inuasions Betweene Aleppo and Damascus wee had nine daies iourney in fiue of which we had pleasant trauelling and good Canes to lodge in that had béene builded for the support of Trauellors and are well maintained But when we passed Hamsek which is a little more then mid-way wee had dangerous trauelling being oft assailed with Arabs fatigated with rocky Mountaines and sometimes in point of choaking for lacke of
length lying South and North the North end bordering with the sea neere to Acre called anciently Ptolomais and the South end ioyning with the borders of Samaria Leauing Samaria on our left hand we entred into a faire plaine adorned with fruitful trees and all other ornaments that pleasant fields affoord but no village we saw Marching thus about the declining of the Sun from the Meridian we came in sight of two hundred pauillions all pitched in rankes yéelding the prospect of a little Cittie by a brooke side of water which being perceiued the Captaine began to censure what they might be and immediatly there came riding towards vs sixe naked fellowes well mounted on Arabian geldings who demanded what we were and whither wee were bound and if there were any Frankes of Christendome in our company To whom the Ianisaries replied wee were purposed to Ierusalem and that there was but one Franke with them vpon the which they presently sought me demanding Caffar Caffar and caused me perforce to pay seuen Chickens of gold for my head because say they our King is now resident in these Tents he must pay therefore so much the more extraordinary They returning backe to their Prince with the malediction of a Pilgrimes purse and we marching on our way that day we trauelled aboue 34 miles and pitched at a village called Adoash where we found good hearbes to eate and aboundance of water to drink and also to fill our emptied bottles As we lay downe to sléepe after a hungry supper on the hard ground and our guard watching vs that same King of the Arabians came a little before mid-night with 24 well horsed Runagates and naked Courtiers being armed with bowes and arrowes and halfe-pikes pointed at both ends with hard stéele and asked for the Carauan who presently awoke and went to salute him laying his hand on his breast bowed his head very low which is the vsuall courtesie amongst the Infidels and Christians in these parts for they neuer vncouer their heads to any man and after some short parly they sate all downe on the grasse The Carauan presented his rude-like Maiesty with water bread hearbs figs garlike and such things as he had As they were thus merry at this poore banquet the awfull King tooke the oath of our Conductor if there were any mo Frankes there then I and he hauing sworne the truth the King by a malignant informer incontinently caused me to be brought before him and staring mee in the face asked my Interpreter where were my companions who replyed I had none Then said he tell that dog hee must acknowledge me with fiue péeces of gold more otherwise making a signe to his owne throate I shall cut off his head The which I being informed and knowing that by no condition there was resistance against such a scelerate Prince gaue it to him presently with a halfe smiling countenance which hee remarking told the rest it seemed that I gaue it with a good heart and to recompence my outward behauiour he drunke a great draught of water to me thinking thereby he had done mee more honour then all the chickens of gold I gaue him now and in the morning would do him profite Truely this was one of the greatest tributes I paied for one daies iourney that I had in all my voyage in Asia There are two Kings in Arabia the one who liueth on Euphrates the Desarts of Mesopotamia sometimes in Arabia Felix and in some parts of Siria And the other which was the King to whom I paid this money wandereth with his Tribes Tents and Bestial one while in Arabia Petrea and Deserta and sometimes in the Holy Land as he findeth good Pastorage and fresh fountaines These two Kings are mortall enemies and if by accident they meete they fight most cruelly bringing dammage rapine and destruction to themselues and their followers for it is a difficult thing in them to dominate their inordinate passions being vntamed Sauages and mis-regarders of ciuility who continually contend to corroborate the malignity of their dispositions with bloudy and inhumane enterprises The next morning leauing Iacobs Well and the Town of Sychar on our left hand wee marched through a part of the fields of Basan and had excéeding pleasant trauelling and at night we pitched by Lydda on the fields Lydda is not aboue ten miles from Cesarea The Townes situated by the Sea side in Palestina are these Sydon which standeth on the borders of Zebulon and Nephtalim or Phoenicia being a goodly Citie and well peopled Tyrus which is miserably brought to ruine Acre that hath yet some indifferent Trade of Merchandize Caipha called commonly Castello pellegrino which hath nothing but the remnants of an ancient Abbay Cesarea who reserueth but onely the memory for there is no hospitality in it except it be to wilde beasts Ioppa or Iaphta is a sea-port of small Barkes but the decayed Towne containeth not one dwelling house saue onely a high Towre which defendeth the port from Cursares And Baruti is also thought to bée within Canaan but that I suspend as not hauing had the certainety thereof These are all the Hauens in the Holy Land Aprill the thirtéenth before the breach of day setting forward scarcely were we well aduanced in our way till we were beset with more then three hundred Arabs who sent vs an vnexpected shoare of arrowes to the great anoyance of all our company for if it had not béene that our souldiers shot of their Guns on a sudden surely wee had then miserably perished But the nature of the Arabs is not vnlike to the Iackals for when any of them heare the shot of a Harquebuse they run backe with such spéed as if the fiends of the infernall Court were broken loose vpon them In that momentany conflict on our side there were killed nine women fiue men and about thirty persons deadly wounded which to our worthy Captaine bred no small griefe Till bright day came wee stayed still in that same place and buried the slaine people in deep graues rolling aboue them heauy stones whereby Iackals should not open their graues to eate the corps for such is the nature of these cruell beasts that they onely loue to liue on mans flesh These rauenous beasts as is thought are ingendred of a Fox and a Wolfe Procéeding in our iourney in the Hilly Country of Iudea we entred leauing Rhama on our right hand Rhama is a Towne inhabited by Christians Arabs and Moores not blacke Moores as the Affricans be but they are called Mori which are a kind of Egyptians and not naturally blacke but sun-burnt with the parching heat The whole Territory of Canaan is inhabited with these Moores some Turkes ciuill Arabs and a few Christians and scattered Iewes The Arabians are for the most part Theeues and Robbers the Moores cruell and vnciuill hating Christians to the death The Turkes are the best of all the thrée yet all sworne enemies to Christ.
Councell it is wonderfull strong and also well guarded being situate by the sea side it hath a fine hauen and many goodly ships thereunto belonging The greatest traffique they haue is with the Genueses Their territorie in the firme land is not much in respect of the neighbouring Turkes but they haue certaine commodious Ilands which to them are profitable And notwithstanding of the great strength and riches they possesse yet for their better safegard and liberty they pay a yeerely tribute vnto the great Turke amounting to foureteene thousand Chickenes of Gold yea and also they pay yeerely a tributarie pension vnto the Venetians for the Iles reserued by them in the Adriaticall Gulfe The most part of the ciuill Citizens haue but the halfe of their heads bare but the baser sort are all shauen This Citie is the Metropolitan of the Kingdome of Slauonia Slauonia was first called Liburnia next Iliria of Iliro the son of Cadmus But lastly named Slauonia of certaine slaues that came from Sarmatia passing the riuer Danubio in the time of the Emperour Iustinian So much as is called Slauonia extendeth from the Riuer Arsa in the West the Riuer Drino in the East on the South bordereth with the Gulfe of Venice and on the North with the Mountaines of Croatia These Mountaines diuide also Ragusa from Bosna The next two speciall Cities in that Kingdome are Sabenica and Salona The Slauonians are of a robust nature martiall and valiant fellowes and a great helpe to maintaine the right and liberty of the Venetian state From Ragusa I embarked in a Tartareta loaden with cornes and bound to Corfu being thrée hundred miles distant In all this way we found no Iland but sayled along the maine Land of the Ilirian shore hauing passed the Gulfe of Cataro and Capo di Fortuna I saw Castello nouo which is a strong Fortresse situate on the top of a Rocke wherein one Barbarisso the Captaine of Solyman starued to death foure thousand Spaniards Hauing left Iliria and Valona behind vs wee sayled by Capo di Polone This high land is the furthest part of the Gulfe of Venice and opposite against Capo di Sancta Maria in Pulia each one in sight of an other and foureteene leagues distant Continuing our nauigation we entred into the Sea Ionium and sayled along the coast of Epire which was the famous Kingdome of the Epirotes This is the first land of Greece and vpon the sixt day after our departure from Ragusa wée arriued at Corfu Corfu is an Iland no lesse beautifull then inuincible It lyeth in the Sea Ionean the inhabitants are Greekes and the Gouernours Venetians This Ile was much honoured by Homer for the pleasant Gardens of Alcino which were in his time It is of circuit one hundred and twenty and fifty miles in breadth The Citie Corfu from which the Ile hath the name is situate at the foote of a Mountaine whereupon are builded two strong Fortresses and inuironed with a naturall Rocke The one is called Fortezza noua and the other Fortezza Vechia They are well gouerned and circumspectly kept least by the instigation of the one Captaine the other should commit some treasonable effects And for the same purpose the Gouernours of both Castles at their election before the Senatours of Venice are sworne neither priuately nor openly to haue mutuall conference nor to write one to another for the spare of two yeares which is the time of their gouernement These Castles are inaccessible and vnconquerable if that the Keepers bee loyall and prouided with naturall and martiall furniture They are vulgarly called The Forts of Christendome by the Greekes but more iustly The strength of Venice For if these Castles were taken by the Turkes the Trade of the Venetian Marchants would bee of none account yea the very meane to ouerthrow Venice it selfe From thence I embarked in a Greekish Carmoesalo with a great number of passengers Greekes Slauonians Italians Armenians and Iewes that were all mindfull to Zante and I also of the like intent being in all forty eight persons hauing roome winds and a fresh gale in foure and twenty houres wee discouered the Ile Cephalonia In this meane while the Captaine of the Uessell espied a Saile comming from the Sea hee presently being moued therewith sent a Mariner to the top who certified him she was a Turkish Gally of Biserta prosecuting a straight course to inuade our Barke Which sudden affrighting newes ouerwhelmed vs almost in dispaire Resolution being by the amazed Maister demanded of euery man what was best to do some replyed one way and some another Insomuch that the most part of the passengers gaue counsell rather to render then fight being confident their friends would pay their ransome and so releiue them But I the wandring Pilgrime pondring in my pensiue breast my solitary estate the distance of my Country and Friends could conceiue no hope of deliuerance Upon the which troublesome and fearefull appearance of slauery I absolutely arose and spoke to the Maister saying The halfe of the Carmoesalo is your owne and the most part also of the loading all which hée had told mee before Wherefore my counsell is that you prepare your selfe to fight and goe encourage your passengers promise to your Mariners double wages make ready your two peeces of Ordinance your Muskets Powder Lead and halfe-pikes For who knoweth but the Lord may deliuer vs from the thraldome of these Infidels My exhortation ended hee was greatly animated therewith and gaue me thankes whereupon assembling the passengers and Mariners hee gaue good comfort and large promises to them all So that their affrighted hopes were conuerted to a couragious resolution seeming rather to giue the first assault then to receiue the second wrong To performe the plots of our defence euery man was busie in the worke some below in the Gunner-roome others cleansing the Muskets some preparing the powder and Balles some dressing the halfe-pikes and others making fast the dores aboue for so the Maister resolued to make combate below both to saue vs from small shot and besides for boording vs on a sodaine The dexterous courage of all men was so forward to defend their liues and liberty that truely in my opinion wee seemed thrise as many as we were All things below and aboue being cunningly perfected and euery one ranked in order with his Harquebuse and Pike to stand on the Centenall of his owne defence wee recommended our selues into the hands of the Almighty and in the meane while attended their fiery salutations In a furious spleene the first Hola of their courtesies was the progresse of a martiall conflict thundring forth a terrible noise of Gally-roaring péeces And wee in a sad reply sent out a backe-sounding eccho of fiery-flying shots which made an equiuox to the clouds rebounding backe-ward in our perturbed breasts the ambiguous sounds of feare and hope After a long and doubtfull fight both with great and small shot night parting vs
sacked and the lumps of ruines and memory onely remaines Marching thus we left Modena and Napoli on our right hand toward the Sea-side and on the sixt day at night wee pitched our Tents in the disinhabited Uillages of Argo and Micene from the which vnhappy Helene was rauished Heere I had the ground to be a pillow and the world-wide-fields to bee a Chamber the whirling-windy-skies to bee a roofe to my Winter-blasted lodging and the humide vapours of cold Nocturna to accompany the vnwished-for-bed of my repose In all this Country I could find nothing to answere the famous relations giuen by ancient Authors of the excellency of that Land but the name onely the barbarousnesse of Turkes and Time hauing defaced all the Monuments of Antiquity No shew of honour no habitation of men in an honest fashion nor possessours of the Country in a Principalitie But rather prisoners shut vp in prisons or addicted slaues to cruell and tyrannicall Maisters So deformed is the state of that once worthy Realme and so miserable is the burthen of that afflicted people Which and the apparance of that permanency grieued my heart to behold the sinister working of blind Fortune which alwaies plungeth the most renowmed Champions and their memory in the profoundest pit of all extremities and obliuion Departing from Argo vpon the seuenth day we arriued at Athens Athens is still inhabited standing in the East part of Peloponnesus neere to the Frontiers of Macedon It was first called Cecropia and lastly Athens of Minerua This Citie was the mother and wel-spring of all liberall Artes and Sciences but now altogether decayed The circuit of old Athens hath béen according to the fundamentall walles yet extant about sixe Italian miles but now of no great quantity nor many dwelling houses therein They haue aboundance of all things requisite for the sustenance of humane life of which I had no small proofe for these Athenians or Greekes exceeding kindly banquetted me foure dayes and furnisht me with necessary prouision for my voyage to Creta And also transported me by sea in a Brigandino fréely to Serigo being foure and fortie miles distant After my redounded thankes they hauing returned the contemplation on their curtesies brought me in remembrance how curious the old Athenians were to heare of forraigne newes and with what great regard and estimation they honored trauellers Serigo is an Iland in the sea Cretico it was anciently called Cytherea of Cythero the sonne of Phaenise and of Aristotle Porphyris or Schotera in respect of the fine marble that is got there It is of circuit 60 miles hauing but one Castle called Capsallo which is kept by a Venetian Captaine Here it is said that Venus did first inhabit and I saw the ruines of her demolished Temple on the side of a mountaine yet extant A little more downward below this Temple of Venus are the reliques of that Palace wherein Menelaus did dwell who was King of Sparta and Lord of this I le The Greekes of the I le told mee there were wilde Asses there who had a stone in their heads which was a soueraigne remedy for the falling sicknesse and good to make a woman be quickly deliuered of her birth In the time of my abode at the village of Capsalo being a hauen for small barkes and situate below the Castle the Captaine of that same fortresse kild a Seminary Priest whom he had found in the night with his whoore in a Brothel-house for the which sacrilegious murther the Gouernor of the I le deposed the Captaine and banished him causing a boat to be prepared to send him to Creta O if all the Priests which do commit incest adultery and fornication yea and worse Il peccato carnale contra natura were thus handled and seuerely rewarded what a sea of Sodomiticall irreligious bloud would ouer-flow the halfe of Europe to staine the spotted colour of that Romane Beast Truly and yet more these lasciuious Friers are the very Epicures or off-scourings of the earth for how oft haue I heard them say one to another Allegre allegre mio caro fratello chi ben mangia ben beue c. that is Be cheerful be cheerful deere brother he that eateth wel drinketh wel he that drinketh wel sleepeth wel he that sleepeth wel sinneth not he that sins not goeth straight through Purgatory to Paradice This is all the care of their liuing making their tongues to vtter what their hearts do thus prophanely thinke Ede bibe dormi post mortem nulla voluptas In the aforesaid boate I also embarked with the Captaine and sailed by the I le Serogota Leauing Capo di Spada on our left hand wee arriued at Carabusa with extreame fortune being fiercely pursued by thrée Turkish Galliots A Description of the Kingdome of Creta of his dangers and hard fortunes amongst the Iles Syclades of Thessaly Mecadonia the hill Pernassus Achaia Tenedos Troy Phrygia Colchos Sestos and Abidos the Gulfe of Hellespont and of his voyage to Constantinople THe I le of Candy was called Creta It is a most famous and ancient Kingdome By Moderne Writers it is Quéene of the Iles Mediterrene It had of old a hundred Cities whereof it had the name Hecatompolis but now onely foure Candia Canea Rhethimos and Schythia the rest are but Uillages and Bourges It is of length to wit from Capo Ermico in the West called by Plinie frons arietis and Capo Salomone in the East 240 miles large thréescore and of circuit 650 miles This is the chiefest dominion belonging to the Venetian republicke In euery one of these foure Cities there is a Gouernour and two Counsellors sent from Venice euery two yeares The Countrey is diuided into foure parts vnder the iurisdiction of the foure Cities for the better administration of iustice and they haue a General who commonly remaineth in the Citie of Candy like to a Uiceroy who deposeth or imposeth Magistrates Captaines Souldiers Officers and others whatsoeuer in the behalfe of Saint Marke or Duke of Venice The Venetians detaine continually a strong guard diuided into Companies Squadrons and Garisons in the Cities and Fortresses of the Iland which do extend to the number of twelue thousand Souldiers kept not only for the incursion of Turks but also for feare of the Cretans or inhabitants who would rather if they could render to the Turke then to liue vnder the subiection of Venice This I le produceth the best Maluosey Muscadine and Leaticke that supposedly are in the world It yeeldeth Orenges Lemmons Mellons Cytrons Grenadiers Adams Apples Raisins Oliues Dates Honey Sugar Vua di tre volte and all other kindes of fruit in aboundance But the most part of their Cornes are brought yearely from Archipelago and Greece Thus much of the I le in generall and now in respect of my trauelling two times through the boundes of the whole Kingdom which was neuer before atchieued by any Traueller of Christendome I will as briefly as I can in
in visiting other do not vse to come empty handed neither will they suffer a stranger to depart without both gifts and conuoy Candy is a large and famous Citie situated on a plaine by the sea side hauing a goodly hauen for ships and a faire Arsenall wherein are 36 Gallies It is excéeding strong and daily guarded with 2000 Souldiers and the Walles in compasse are about three leagues Candy is distant from Venice 1300 miles from Constantinople 700. from Famagosta in Cyprus 600. from Alexandria in Egypt 500. and from the Citie of Ierusalem 900 miles The Candeots through all the Iland make muster euery eighth day before the Sergeant-Maiors or Officers of the Generall and are well prouided with all sorts of Armour yea and the most valourous people that hight the name of Greekes It was told me by the Rector of Candy that they may raise in Armes of the inhabitants not reckoning the Garrisons aboue sixtie thousand men all able for warres with 54 Gallies and 24 Galleots for the sea In all my trauels through this Realme I neuer could sée a Greek come forth of his house vnarmed and after such a martiall manner that one his head he weareth a bare stéele Cap a Bow in his hand a long sword by his side a broad ponyard ouerthwart his belly and a round target hanging at his girdle They are not costly in apparrell for they were but linnen cloathes and vse no shooes but Bootes of white leather by nature they are crafty and subtill as Paul mentioneth Titus 1.12 Their haruest is our Spring for they manure the ground and sow the séed in October which is reaped in March and Aprill Being frustrate of my intention at Candy I was forced to returne to Canea where I staied 25 dayes before I could get passage for I purposed to view Constantinople I trauelled on foot in this I le more then 400 miles and vpon the 50 day after my first comming to Carabusa I embarked in a fisher-boat that belonged to Milo being a hundred miles distant which had beene violently driuen thither with stormy weather Milo was called by Aristotle Melada and by others Mimalida Melos And lastly Milo because of the fine Mill-stones that are got there which are transported to Constantinople Greece and Natolia This I le is one of the Iles Cyclades or Sporades but more commonly Archipelago or the Arch-ilands and standeth in the beginning of the Aegean sea The inhabitants are Greekes but slaues to the Turke and so are all the 53 Iles of the Cyclades saue onely Tino which holdeth of the Venetians From Milo I came to Zephano an Iland of circuit about twenty miles The inhabitants are poore yet kind people There are an infinite number of Partridges within this I le of a reddish colour and bigger then ours in Britaine they are wilde and onely kild by small shot but I haue seene in other Ilands flockes of them feeding in the fields and vsually kept by children some others I haue seene in the stréetes of villages without any kéeper euen as Hennes do with vs. I saw fountains here that naturally yéeld fine oyle which is the greatest aduantage the Ilanders haue From thence I embarked and arriued at Angusa in Parir This I le is forty miles long and six miles broad being plentifull enough in all necessary things for the vse of of man In Angusa I stayed 16 dayes storme-sted with Northerly windes and in all that time I neuer came in bed for my lodging was in a little Church without the village on hard stones where I also had a fire and dressed my meate The Greekes visited me oftentimes and intreated me aboue all things I should not enter within the bounds of their Sanctuary because I was not of their Religion These miserable Ilanders are a kinde of silly poore people which in their behauiour shewed the necessity they had to liue rather then any pleasure in their liuing From thence I arriued in the I le of Mecano where I but onely dined so set forward to Zea. Zea was so called of Zeo the son of Phebo and of some Tetrapoli because of the foure Citties that were there of old Symonides the Poet and Eristato the excellent Physition were borne in it The next I le of any note wee touched at was Tino This Iland is vnder the Signorie of Venice and was sometimes beautified with the Temple of Neptune By Aristotle it was Idrusa of Demosthenes and Eschines Erusea It hath an impregnable Castle builded on the top of a high Rocke so that the Turkes by no meanes can conquer it From this I le I came to Palmosa sometime Pathmos which is a Mountanous and barren Iland It was heere that Saint Iohn wrote the Reuelation after hée was banished by Domitianus the Emperour Thence I embarked to Nicaria and sailed by the I le Scyro which of old was the Signory of Licomedes and in the habit of a woman was Achilles brought vp heere who in that time begot Pyrhus vpon Deidamia the daughter of Licomedes and where the crafty Vlysses did discouer this fatall Prince to Troy As we fetched vp the sight of Nicaria wee espied two Turkish Galleots who gaue vs the Chace and pursued vs straight vnto a bay betwixt two Mountaines where we left the loaded Boat and fled to the Rockes But in our flying the Maister was taken and other two old men whom they made captiues and slaues and also seized vpon the Boat and all their goods The number that escaped were nine persons This Ile Nicaria was anciently called Doliche and Ithiosa and is somewhat barren hauing no Sea-port at all It was heere the Poets feigned that Icarus the son of Dedalus fell when as hee took flight from Creta with his borrowed wings of whom it hath the name Expecting certaine daies heere in a vilage called Lephantos for passage to Sio at last I found a Brigandino bound thither that was come from the fruitfull I le of Stalimene of old Lemnos wherein I embarked and sailed by the I le Samos which is opposite to Caria in Asia Minor It is of circuit one hundred and sixty and of length forty miles It was of old named Driâ—sa and Melanphilo in which was Phythagoras the Phylospher and Lycaon the excellent Musitien borne As wee left the I le Veneco on our left hand and entred in the Gulfe betweene Sio and Eolida there fell downe a deadly storme at the Greco è Leuante which split our Mast carrying Sailes and all ouer-board Whereupon euery man looked as it were with the stampe of death in his pale visage The Tempest continuing our Boat not being able to keepe the Seas we were constrained to seeke into a creeke betwixt two Rockes for safety of our liues where when wee entred there was no likely-hood of reliefe for wee had a shelfie shore and giuing ground to the Ankors they came both home The sorrowfull Maister seeing nothing but shipwracke
were erected in a commemoration of their admirable fidelitie in loue But now they are commonly called the Castles of Gallipoly yea or rather the strength of Constantinople betwéene which no ship may enter without knowledge of the Captaines And at their returne they must stay thrée dayes before they are permitted to goe through Betwixt the Castles and Constantinople is about fortie leagues Here I left the two Frenchmen with a Greeke Barbour and imbarked for Constantinople in a Turkish Frigato The first place of any note I saw within these narrow Seas was the auncient Citty of Gallipolis the second seate of Thracia which was first builded by Caius Caligula and sometimes hath béene inhabited by the Gaules It was the first Towne in Europe that the Turkes conquered As we sailed betwéene Thracia and Bithinia a learned Grecian that was in my company shewed mee Colchis whence Iason with the assistance of the Argonautes and the aid of Medeas skill did fetch the golden fléece This Sea Hellespont tooke the name of Helles and of the Countrey Pontus ioyning to the same Sea wherein are these thrée Countries Armenia Colchis and Cappadocia After wee had fetcht vp the famous Citie of Calcedon in Bithinia on our right hand I beheld on our left hand the prospect of that little world the great Citie of Constantinople which indéed yeeldeth such an outward splendor to the amazed beholder of goodly Churches stately Towers gallant Stéeples and other such things whereof now the world make so great account that the whole earth cannot equall it Beholding these delectable obiects wee entred in the Channell of Bosphorus which diuideth Perah from Constantinople And arriuing at Tapanau where all the munition of the great Turke lieth I bade farewell to my company and went to a lodging to refresh my selfe till morning A briefe Description of the renowned Citty of Constantinople together with the customes manners and religion of the Turkes their first beginning and the birth of MAHOMET and what opinion the Mahometanes haue of Heauen and Hell COnstantinople is the Metropolitan of Thracia so called of Constantine the Emperour who first enlarged the same It was called of old Bizantium but now by the Turkes Stambolda which signifieth in their language a large Citty It was also called Ethuse and by the Greekes Stymbolis This Citty according to ancient Authors was first sounded by the Lacedemonians who were conducted from Lacedemon by one Pausanias about the yeare of the world 3294 which after their consultation with Apollo where they should settle their abode and dwelling place they came to Bithinia and builded a Cittie which was called Calcedon But the commodity of fishing falling out contrary to their expectation in respect the fishes were afraid of the white bankes of the Citty the Captaine Pausanias left that place and builded Bizantium in Thracia which first was by him intituled Ligos By Pliny Iustine and Strabo it was surnamed Vrbs Illustrissima because it is repleat with all the blessings earth can giue to man yea and in the most fertile soile of Europe Zonaras reporteth that the Athenians in an ambitious and insatiable desire of Soueraigntie wonno it from the Lacedemonians they thus being vanquished suborned Seuerus the Romane Emperour to besiege the same but the Cittie Bizantium being strongly fortified with walles the Romans could not take it in vntill extreame famine constrained them to yeeld after thrée yeares siege And Seuerus to satisfie his cruelty put all to the sword that were within and razed the walles giuing it in possession to the neighbouring Perinthians This Citie thus remained in calamitie till Constantine resigning the Citie of Rome and a great part of Italy to the Popish inheritance of the Roman Bishops reedified the same and translated his Imperiall seate in the East and reduced all the Empire of Greece to an vnite tranquility with immortall reputation which the Parthians and Persians had so miserably disquieted But these disorders at length reformed by the seuere administration of iustice for the which and other worthy respects the said Constantine sonne of S. Helen and Emperour of Rome which after the Popes vsurped was surnamed the Great He first in his plantation called this Citie New Rome but when hee beheld the flourishing and multiplying of all things in it and because of the commodious situation thereof he called it Constantinopolis after his owne name This Emperour liued there many prosperous yeares in a most happy estate Likewise many of his successors did vntill such time that Mahomet the second of that name and Emherour of the Turkes liuing in a discontented humor to behold the great and glorious dominions of Christians especially this famous Citie that so flourished in his eyes by moment all circumstances collected his cruell intentions to the full height of ambition whereby hee might abolish the very name of Christianity and also puft vp with a presumptuous desire to enlarge his Empire went with a maruellous power both by Sea and Land vnto this magnificent mansion The issue wherof was such that after diuers batteries and assaults the irreligious Infidels broke downe the walles and entred the Citle where they made a wonderfull massacre of poore afflicted Christians without sparing any of the Romane kinde either male or female In the mercilesse fury of these infernall Impes the Emperour Constantine was killed whose head being cut off was carried vpon the poynt of a Launce through all the Citie and Campe of the Turkes to the great disgrace and ignominy of Christianitie His Empresse Daughters and other Ladies were put to death after a strange forme of new deuised torments By this ouerthrow of Constantinople this Mahomet tooke twelue kingdomes and two hundred Cities from the Christians which is a lamentable losse of such an illustrious Empire Thus was that Imperiall Citie lost in the yeare 1453. May 29. when it had remained vnder the gouernment of Christians 1198 yeares It is now the chiefe abode of the great Turke Sultan Acomet the 15 Grand Can of the line of Ottoman liuing at this day who is about 23 yeares of age a man more giuen to venery then martiality which giueth presently a greater aduantage to the Persians in their instant warres The forme or situation of this Citie is like vnto a triangle the South part whereof and the East part are inuironed with Hellespontus and Bosphorus Thraicus and the North part adioyning to the firme land It is in compasse about the Walles estéemed to be 18 miles in one of these triangled points standeth the Palace of the great Turke called Seralia and the Forrest wherein he hunteth which is two miles in length The speciall obiect of antiquity I saw within this Citie was the incomparable Church of S. Sophia whose ornaments and hallowed vessels were innumerable in the time of Iustinian the Emperour who first builded it but now conuerted to a Mosque and consecrate to Mahomet after a Diabolicall manner I saw also the famous
that the Chappell of Loretta was such a thing I answered I did not beléeue it affirming it was onely but a diuellish inuention to deceiue the blind-folded people and to fill the Coffers of the Romane Priests Now thou bottomlesse gulfe of Papistry here I forsake thee no winter blasting Furies of Satans subtill stormes can make ship-wracke of my faith on the stony shelues of thy deceitfull déepes In the time of our staying here the Emeere or Lord of the Towne sent sixe women conducted by twelue of his seruanes to an Armenian Prince that was a Pilgrime in our company to be vsed by him and others whom so he would elect to be his fellow labourers which indéed he did kindly accept and inuited me to that feast but I gaue him the refusall little regarding such a friuolous commodity He and some of the chifest Pilgrimes entertained them for the space of thrée houres and sent them backe giuing to their Conductors 15 Piasters in a reward Truely if I would rehearse the impudency of these whoores and the brutishnesse of the Armenians as it is most ignominious to the actors so no doubt it would bee very loathsome to the reader Such is the villanie of these Orientall Christian-flaues vnder the Turkes that not onely by conuersing with them learne some of their damnable Ethnicke customes but also going beyond them in beastly sensuality become worse then bruit beasts but God in his iust iudgments that same night threatned to haue punished both the doers and the whole company for their sakes for we hauing resolued to trauell all that night and also because the way was rocky and hard to be knowne and perillous for Arabs we hired a Christian Guide named Ioab and agréed with him to take vs to Lidda which was two dayes iourney But before we tooke horse Ioab had sent a priuy messenger before vs to warne about 300 Arabs who had their abode on the South side of mount Carmel to méet him at such a place as he had appointed giuing them to know wée were potent and rich and that hee should render vs into their hands to be made the miserable obiect of their cruelty This being done and vnknowne to vs we marched riding faster then an ordinary pace which our guide suspecting that by our celerity we should goe beyond the place appointed for his treacherous plot began to crosse vs grieuously leading vs vp and downe amongst pooles and holes whither hee listed where many of our Cammels and Asses were lost and could not bee recouered because wee all beganne to suspect and feare which was the cause that the owners durst not stay to relieue their perishing Beasts In the end the Captaine and Ianisaries en treated him earnestly to bring vs in the right way but the more they requested the more obdurate was his heart replying hee was mistaken and could not finde it till day light vpon the which wordes the company was stayed and in the meane while there came a Turke one of our Souldiers vnto the Captaine saying Hee saw the guide before our departure from Nazareth send a Moore before him for what respect he knew not being long at priuate conference Wherupon they straight bound him with ropes on a horse backe threatning him with death to cause him confesse the truth In the midst of this tumult I hauing got sight of the Northstarre considered thereby that the villaine had led vs more to the Southward then to the Westward which was our way to Ierusalem Whereupon I entreated the Carauan to turne our faces Northward otherwise we should bee cut off and that suddenly for although said I it may peraduenture be that we are 3 or 4 miles short of the place intended for our massacre yet they missing vs wil like rauening Wolues hunt here and there wherefore if wee incline to the North God willing wee shall preuent their bloudy designes To which aduice being duly pondered they yeelded and so I became their guide in the darks night till morning for none of them knew that starre neither the nature of it At last this desperate wretch considering that either by our vanquishing or the enemies victory he could not escape sith his treason was reuealed began to beg pardon of the Carauan saying that if he could haue any surety of his life hee would sufficiently informe vs how to escape these imminent dangers The Captaine being distracted with feare replied hee would and thereupon swore a solemne oath so did the Ianisaries sweare by the head of Mahomet for the like effect which being done he was vntied and confessed that if we had continued in our way he led vs we had beene all put to the edge of the sword and falling downe on his knees cryed oft with teares mercy mercy mercy All that night wee went with that starre and against morning wee were in Palestina neere vnto Tyrus called now Sur which Alexander had so much adoe to conquer being then separated from the maine Continent by the Sea but now ioyned to the firme Land and before you come to the Citie there lieth a great banke of Sand where it is likely the sea hath beene in Alexanders time though now as time altereth euery thing the sea be fled from that place which maketh that ruinous Towne more desolate Aurora no sooner appeared but we were all encouraged for the light of day lends comfort The Captaine sending backe that false Iudas for so was hee sworne to doe sent a Post to Tyrus for a new Guide who came forthwith and brought vs in our way to Mount Carmell for by it we behoued to go Great are the mercies of God! for as he hath made man an excellent creature so hath he also indued him with two great powers in his minde the one a wise power of vnderstanding by which hee penetrateth into the knowledge of things the other a strong power of dexterous resoluing whereby he executeth things wel vnderstood for we hauing iudged the worst resolued the best and by his Almightie prouidence were fréed from that apparant danger although the former dayes whoredome vnnaturall vices deserued a iust punishment This I intimate to all trauellers in generall that if they would that God should further them in their attempts blesse their voyages and grant them a safe returne to their natiue Countries without the which what contentment haue they for all their paines that they would constantly refraine from whoredome drunkennesse and too much familiarity with strangers For a traueller that is not temperate and circumspect in all his actions although hee were headed like that Herculean Serpent Hydra yet it is impossible hee can returne in safety from danger of Turkes Arabs Moores wilde beasts heate hunger thirst and cold Approching to mount Carmell I beheld a farre off vpon the top of the hill the place where Elias ascended to heauen when he left his Cloke behind him to Elizeus his Disciple This mountaine is foure miles of
way as we returned our Dragoman shewed vs on the banke of Nylus where a Crocodile was killed by the ingenious policie of a Venetian Marchant being licentiated by the Soldan The match whereof for bignesse and length was neuer seene in that riuer whose body was 22 foote and in compasse of the shoulders 8 foot This cruell beast had deuoured aboue 46 men and women besides other creatures and in his belly were found more then 60 rings of gold and siluer which the miserable bodies had worne in their noses through their cheeks and vnder lips for such is the custome of the people to weare their iewels And if the baser sort cannot attaine to such like then they counterfeit their betters with rings of brasse and lead wearing also on their armes and ankles broade bands of Iron continually The garden wherein the onely and true Balsamo groweth is inclosed with a high wall and daily guarded by Turkes who hardly will suffer any Christian to enter within much lesse the Iewes for not long agoe they were the cause that almost this Balme was brought to confusion The tree it selfe is but of three foot height which keepeth euermore the coloor greene hauing a broad thrée poynted leafe and twice in the yeare it being incised yeeldeth a red water which is the naturall Balsamo Not farre hence there is a place caled Mommeis lying in a sandy desart where are innumerable Caues cut forth of a rock wherunto the corps of the most men in Cayro are carried and interred which dead bodies remaine alwayes vnputrified neither yeeld they any stinking smell Grand Cayro is an admirable great Citie and larger of bounds then Constantinople but not so populous neither so wel builded It was of old caled Memphis was the furthest place that Vlysses in his trauels visited so well memorized by Homer yet a voyage now of no such estimation as that Princely Poet accounted it for his trauels are not comparable to some of these dayes wherein we liue It is situate in a pleasant plaine and in the heart of Aegypt being distant from Nylus about an English mile It was called Cayro Babylonia for there are two Babylons one in Assyria which by the Turks is called Bagdat and the other is this which ioyneth with Cayro nouo The circuit of new Cayre is about 22 miles not speaking of Cayre de Babylon Medin Boulak the great Towne of Caraffar being as Sub-vrbs of many smals maketh vp a little world the length whereof in all is thought to be 28 miles of bredth 14. The principal gates are these Babeh Mamstek which is toward the Wildernesse of the red sea Bebzavillah toward Nylus and Babell Eutuch toward the fields The stréetes are narrow being all of them almost couered and the foundation of their buildings is raised vpon two Stages height to kéepe the people from the parching heate The Bazar or exchange beginneth at the gate of Mamstek and endeth at a place called Babesh At the corners of chiefe places there are horses to be hired that for a small matter a man may ride where so he will to view this spacious spred Citie and change as many horses as he listeth hauing the maisters which owe them to conuoy them There is a great commerce here with all Nations vnder the heauens For by their concurring thither it is wonderfully peopled with infinite numbers Such a multitude and the extreme heate is the cause why the pest is euermore in it insomuch that at some certaine times 10000 persons haue dyed thereof in one day In this Towne you shall euer finde all these sorts of Christians Italians French Greekes Almaines Georgians Aethiopians Iacobines Armenians Syrians Nestorians Amaronites Nicolaitans Abessenes Nubians Slauonians Gofties Ragusans and some captiue Hungarians the number of which is euer thought to bee beyond an hundred thousand people besides all other sorts of Infidels as Turkes blacke and white Moores Musilmans Persians Tartars Indians Iewes Arabians Barbarres and Sarazens From the Castle wherein the Soldan habitateth which is builded on a pretty hill you haue the prospect of the whole Citie the Gardens and Uillages bordering on Nylus and of the most part of the plaine and fertile places of Egypt Aegypt bordereth with Aethiopia and the Desarts of Libia on the South on the North with the sea Medirerrene the chiefest ports whereof are Alexandria and Damietta Toward the Occident with the great lake of Bouchiarah and a dangerous Wildernesse confining therewith so full of wilde and venemous beasts which maketh the West part vnaccessable On the East with a part of the red Sea and desarts of Arabia through which the people of Israel passed In all the land of Egypt which is a great kingdome there is no Well or Fountaine saue onely the riuer Nylus neither doe the inhabitants know what raine is because they neuer sée any This floud irriguateth all the low Plaines of the land once in the yeare which inundation beginneth vsually in Iuly and continueth to the end of August which furnisheth with water all the Inhabiters There is a dry Pond called Machash in the midst whereof standeth a Pillar of eightéene brasses height being equall with the profundity of the ditch whereby they know his increasing and if in the yeare following they shall haue plenty or scarsity of things For when the water beginneth to flow aboue the ordinary course it falleth downe incontinently in this place where it ariseth euery day vpon the pillar sometimes a spanne a foote or two foote At the time of his inunding there are certaine people appointed to watch the limites of his growth For when the water wareth to fiftéene brasses it is a signe that the next yeare shall bee fertile If if amounteth but to twelue that yeare shall be indifferent and it surpasse not nine brasses it presageth a great dearth and famine and if it shall happen to flow to the top all the countrey of Egypt is in danger to bee destroyed From Nylus are many ditches drawne along to the scattered villages in the plaines the water whereof entring in these narrow channels the people haue cisternes made of purpose wherein they receiue it and conserue the same till the next inundation At which time also they make great feastings and rare solemnities dauncing eating drinking singing tâ—uking of drummes sounding of trumpets and other oftentations of ioy There are infinite venemous creatures bred in this riuer as Crococodiles Scorpions vgly mis-shapen wormes and other monstrous things which annoy oft the inhabitants and also those who traâ—â—ck on the water This famous floud beginneth vnder the Equinoctiall line in Aethiopia whence it bringeth the full growth downe into Egypt and in a place of the Aethiopian Alpes called Catadupa the fall and roaring of this Nyle maketh the people deafe who dwell néere thereunto The common opinion is that Prester Iehan may impede the course of Nyle to runne through Egypt which bréedeth the cause wherefore the great Turke payeth
him a yearely Tribute least by a malignant hatred hee should turne the maine Channell another way and so bring Egypt to desolation This Kingdome produceth no Wines neither is garnished with Uine-yards but that which strangers doe make vse of are brought from Candy Cyprus and Greece In Cayro I stayed seuen dayes and embarked at Boullacque in a Boate and as I went downe the Riuer I saw these Townes Salomona Pharsone Foua an Abdan In these parts there is a stone called Aquiline which hath the vertue to deliuer a Woman from her paine in Childe-birth In all this way the greatest pleasure I had was to behold the â—â—re beautie of certaine Birds called by the Turkes Ellocâ—e whose Feathers being beautified with the diuersitie of â—â—rest colours yéeld a farre off to the beholder a delectable shew hauing also this property the néerer a man approcheth them the more they loose the beautie of their Feathers by reason of the feare they conceiue when they sée any man Upon the fourth day I landed at Rosetta and came ouer land with a company of Turkes to Alexandria Alexandria is the second Port in all Turkie It was of old a most renowned Citie and was built by Alexander the great but now is greatly decayed as may appeare by the huge ruines therein It hath two Hauens the one whereof is strongly fortified with two Castles which defend both it selfe and also Porto vechio The fieldes about the Towne are sandy which ingender an infectious aire especially in the moneth of August and is the reason why strangers fall into bloudy fluxes and other heauy sicknesses In my staying here I was aduised by a Christian Consull to keepe my stomacke hot to abstaine from eating of fruit and to liue soberly with a temperate diet The rule of which gouernement I stroue diligently to obserue so did I also in all my trauels prosecute the like course of a small dyet and was often too small against my will by the meanes whereof praised be God I fell neuer sicke till my returne into France Twelue dayes abode I in Alexandria and on the thirtéenth I embarked in a ship belonging to Ragusa in which I was kindly vsed and Christian like entertained The windes somewhat at the beginning fauouring vs wee weighed anchors and set forward to Sea In the time of our nauigation there died seuentéene of our Mariners and Passengers which bred no small griefe and feare to the rest being cast ouer-boord in a boundlesse graue to féede the fishes Fiue sundry times were we assailed by Cursaires of Tunneis Argeire and Biserta yet neuer captiuated or seazed vpon such was the pleasure of God and the resolute minds of the Ragusans which are a kinde of martiall people Fifty daies were we crossed with contrary winds tackling and boording in all this time we saw no land And as Ouid said in the like case Nil nisi pontus aer Our fresh water being spent we were constrained to beare into the I le of Malta where hauing giuen ground to the ankers I dis-barked and bade farewell to the Captaine and shippes company Malta was called Melita mentioned Acts 28.1.2 where the Uiper leaped on Pauls hand I saw also the Créeke wherein he was ship wracked This Iland may properly be tearmed the Fort of Christendome yet a barren place and of no great boundes for their Cornes and their Wines come dâ—â—ly â—â— Barkes from Sycilia But it yéeldeth good store of Pâ—â—â—â—granates Cittrons Cottons Orenges Lemmons â—â—â—es Mellons and other excellent Fruits The chiefe Citie is called Malta from which the Iland hath the name hauing a goodly hauen and fortified with an impregnable caâ—â—â— The Maltazes had their beginning at Acre in Palestâ—â— from thence to the Rhodes now exposed to this Rocky I le They are pertinacious Enemies to Infidels continually making warre and incursions against them to their power being strengthned also with many souldiers and their Captaines are surnamed Knights of Malta and so through a great part of Christendome it is a most honourable Order From thence I embarked in a Frigato and arriued at Syracusa in Sycilia Sycilia hath bene famous in all former Ages for by Diodorus Siculus it was cognominated the paragon of Iles by Titus Liuius the Garden of Italy The Greekes haue celebrated much commendation to this I le It also was anciently called the Grange of the Romanes and is neuer a whit decayed to this day It excelleth in all sorts of graine as cornes wheat wine sugar rice all kinds of fruit wholesome hearbs sweete hony excellent good silke and the best Corrall in the world is found heere growing vnder the water greene and tender but when arising aboue it becommeth red and hard The like whereof is said to bee found in the red Sea and gulfe of Persia. The chiefe Cities contained therein are these Polermo in which is the residence of the Uizeroy a Spaniard The second is Messina wherein standeth the statue of Iohn Duke of Austria for that notable victory God gaue him in the gulfe Lepanto against the Turkes The third is Syracusa lying in the South-east part toward Malta And the fourth is Trapundy which yeeldeth surpassing fine salt that is transported to Venice Italy Dalmatia and Greece made onely by heating of the Sunne being drawne into certaine pooles That sulphurean mount Gebello called of old Aetna burneth continually therein yéelding a terrible smoake and fire which by the nature of the thundring noyse and heate congealed in that Vulcans furnace it throweth from the horrible vents huge stones of naturall brimstone insomuch that no people may resort neere thereby I saw also there a fountaine that a dog being cast therein will presently die but being taken forth dead and slung into an other poole shall forth-with reuiue The I le is of circuit six hundred and large fifty miles It was sometimes vnder the subiection of the Gaules but now vnder subiection to King Phillip of Spaine It is the onely Girnelle of Malta and a great help to the Napolitan State The length of the Iland lyeth West and East and is distant from Napolis fifty leagues so much also from Sardinia and fortie leagues from Malta The Sycilians are very industrious much giuen to labour and Mechanicke Arts. Sycilia Candie and Cyprus are almost all of one quantity being the most commodious and noble Iles within the straights of the Mediterranean Sea From Polermo I embarked and sailed close aboard the Coast of Calabria and on the third day I arriued in Italy at a Towne neere vnto Ostia called Ciuitta-vechio where hauing thanked God for my safe returne to Christendome I vndertooke a new Land-voyage The speciall Cities I surueyed in Italy after my backe-comming are these Siena Florence Luka Pisa Genua Bullogna Parma Pauia Pâ—acenâ—a Mantua Milane and Torino The commendation of which is inuolued in these verses Iullustrat Saenas patriae facundiae linguae Splendida solertes nutrit Florentia ciues Libera Luca tremit ducibus vicina